Bearing and support



Ndv. 22, 1938. E. WOOD 2.137.434

.BEAHING AND SUPPORT Filed June 26, 1956 v INV ENTOR .Z'Jward 1. 11 004 BY ORNEY bearing is gripped with a desirable amount panama Edward IL. Wood, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Gar Wood industries, line, a corporation of Michi- Application time as, rose, Serial No. $7,344

a harms. (pi. sot-sci My invention relates to bearings and their method of support, and particularly, to a freefioating, self-aligning bearing and housing which provides positive support for a shaft.

Bearings of the sleeve type are usually pressfltted in an aperture in a support and difficulty was always experienced in having the sleeves mounted in accurate alignment. The aperture in the support, when oversized, did not provide a sumcient' coemcient of friction to retain the hearing from turning relative to the support, a and when the aperture was too small, the forcing of the sleeve thereinto would cause the sleeve to be distorted and reduced in diameter.

In practicing the present invention, I overcome the difficulties heretofore experienced with bearings of the sleeve type by fabricating a unique support for the sleeve. The support embodies in the main, a metal strap which is formed annularly, having the ends spacedand projected to provide spaced flanges. The inner diameter of the strap so formed is less thanthe outer diameter of the sleeve so that the flange portions must be spread apart to permit the sleeve to be moved longitudinally within the arcuate portion of the strap. When the flanges are released, the sleeve friction which prevents its turning relative to the strap. The sleeve is mounted in rubber .on the side opposite to the load and a felt pad is preferably disposed'between the projecting flanges.

A U-shaped elementhas a web that rests on top of the'felt between the flanges and two parallel washerlike extensions covering the ends of the sleeves to form thrust washers. A hole is provided in the web portion through which a lubricant may be introduced into the pad. The sleeve bearing is preferably oi sintered composition well known in the art, having lubricating properties inherently embodied therein and which is sufilciently porous to permit the lubricant introduced through the aperture into the pad to saturate the body of the sleeve. 1

Accordingly; the main objects of my invention are: toprovide a support which frictionally engages a sleeve bearing; to provide a frictional support for a sleeve bearing, the circumference of which may be enlarged to permit the insertion and removal of the sleeve therefrom; to provide a support for a bearing made from a strap having the central portion of arcuate shape with the ends extended in spaced parallel relation; to pro- .vide projecting flanges on asupport for a sleeve bearing which may be spread apart to release the sleeve or permit the sleeve to be introduced within the support; to provide a support with spaced flanges in which a lubricant absorbing pad maybe disposed; to provide thrust washers on both sides of a sleeve bearing which are joined by a web; to provide a support for a bearing having spaced projecting flanges in which a web joining thrust washers is disposedto cover an oil pad positioned between the flanges; to mount a support for a bearing on rubber to permit the support to float; and, in general, to provide a support for a sleeve bearing which is simple of construetion, which eliminates machined parts, and which is economical of manufacture.

Qther objects and features of novelty of my Figure 11s a perspective view of a bearing and support for a shaft embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 2 isan enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, taken on the line 22 thereof Fig. 3 is an end view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of structure illustrated in Fig. 2, taken on the line 3-3 thereof;

Fig. 4 is a view of structure, similar to that illustrated in Fig. 3, showing a modified form thereof; and

Fig. 5 is a view of structure, similarto that illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, showing a further modified form which my invention may assume.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I have illustrated a shaft it having a bearing engaging end portion it supported by a sleeve bearing 52 in a support It. The bearing it may be of any well known sleeve type, but is herein illustrated as being of the sintered type, known in the trade as oilight, which is porous and self-lubricating. The support i3 embodies a piece of strap material having acertain amount of resiliency which has-its main central portion bent into circular shape, as at it in Fig. 3, with the ends it outwardly projected in spaced parallel relation. Between the prosimilar lubricant and which may be made of felt,

woven or other type of absorbent material.

' End thrust-washers ill are joined bya web. It which is disposed upon the pad it between the extending portions E5 of the support it. The thrust washers are retained as a unit in this manner, while web it forms a cover for the pad end of the shaft by a cotter pin 23.

through an aperture IQ of which a lubricant is introduced.

In Fig. 2, the thrust washers I! are illustrated as being engaged by a shoulder 2| on the shaft III and bya washer'22 which is retained on the The oil introduced to the pad through the aperture l9 will saturate the porous material forming the bearing sleeve I2. When a bronze sleeve is employed, oil grooves and apertures will be employed therein into which oil from the pad will be introduced.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 3, I have illustrated a pair of outwardly presented channels 24 welded or otherwise secured to the support It! having their central planes passing through the axis of the shaft. Rubber blocks 25 are secured in the channels 24 byvulcanization or by other methods or means well known in the art.

.A pair of plates 26 and 21 form a base, the ends are similar to the channels 24 with the exception that the ends 32 are flanged inwardly to more firmly grip the rubber blocks 25 or to register within slots which may have been provided therein. Flanges 35 on the ends of base 34, made up of plates similar to plates 26 and 21, are extended inwardly to engage the rubber blocks in a similar manner. In addition, rivets 35 may be employed extending through the flanges and rubber blocks to further secure the blocks to the channel. The rubber blocks are anchored to their supports in this manner without vulcanization although vulcanization could also be employed with the structure illustrated.

Referring to Fig. 5, I have shown a further mounting method for the support l3, embodying a solid block 36 of rubber which is vulcanized to the support and to suitable anchor elements 31 provided thereon. These anchor elements may be welded or otherwise secured to the support and are herein illustrated asbeing dovetail strips which provide greater anchoring surfaces. Projecting pins having heads or recessed slots well known in theart could'also be utilized. Encompassing the lower portion of the rubber block 16, a metal sheath 36 is utilized which may frictionally engage and/or be vulcanized thereto.

A support built up in this manner is embodied with resiliency so that the bearing need not be accurately-aligned since it will align itself with the shaft which it supports. The supporting portion l3 has the arcuate portion ll of smaller inner diameter than the outer diameter of the sleeve. By spreading the projecting ends IS, the inner surface of the arcuate portion M will have a greater diameter than the outer diameter of the sleeve so that the sleeve may be longitudinally moved into the support. When the ends I5 are released, the sleeve bearing l2 will be g pp d with sufficient friction to prevent it from rotating relative to the support. The pad I6 is then disposed between the projecting portions l5 and the web It placed thereon with the projecting thrust washers l1 aligned with the sleeve bearing l2. The bearing is so mounted as to have the load operating against the rubber blocks 25 or the single block 36 and a complete resilient support is provided thereby. The bearing support constructed in this manner is fabricated entirely from stampings, thereby entirely eliminating machined parts. An extremely durable and improved support is provided for the sleeve which is resiliently mounted and provides self-aligning features.

While I have illustrated and described several embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes, omissions, additions and substitutions may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the accompanying claims.

I claim as my invention:-

l. The combination with a sleeve bearing having a circumferentially uninterrupted wall, of a support therefor having an arcuate body portion v and spaced end portions, 'a felt pad disposed between said spaced end portions, and a pair of connected thrust washers disposed over the end faces of said bearing. v

'2. The combination with a sleeve bearing having an uninterrupted wall, of a support therefor made of strap material having the central portion of arcuate shape, the inner surface of which is of less diameter. than the outer diameter of the sleeve bearing, the ends of the strap being projected to form means whereby the arcuate body portion may be spread to permit the insertion and removal of the bearing, and a lubricating pad disposed between said projecting ends.

4. The combination with a sleeve bearing having an uninterrupted wall, of a support. therefor made of strap material having the central portion of arcuate shape, the inner surface of which is of less diameter than the outer diameter of the sleeve bearing, the ends of the strap being projected to form means whereby the arcuate body portion may be spread to permit the insertion and removal of the bearing, a lubricating pad disposed between said projecting ends, and a pair of thrust washers having a connecting web disposed over said pad with the washers aligned with the bearing.

5. A sleeve bearing having an uninterrupted wall, in combination with a support having a slot therein, a pad disposed in said slot, and a web disposed over said pad having at its ends thrust washers for said bearing. 1 y

6. The combination with a sleeve bearing having an uninterrupted wall, of a support therefor made of strap material formed in arcuate shape, the inner surface of which is normally of less diameter than the outside diameter of the sleeve bearing so as to resiliently embrace and retain said bearing, and a rubber mounting for said bearing support.

EDWARD L. WOOD. 

